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danielledeal 's review for:
We Do Not Part
by Han Kang
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Only after I started reading did I learn this is considered by the author to be a pair with her previous work Human Acts --- I happen to have read Human Acts at the beginning of the year, and I highly recommend (read the content warnings) and do think the two books compliment each other (the story opens from the perspective of the writer of a human acts-style novel, so much that I thought for a moment it was a preface ).
This story is so eerie. Not scary in a jump-scare sense but even beyond the horrific depictions of violence the method of telling the story also brings chills to my spine. The entire setting is dark and isolated. The snow is basically another character, moving the story along and halting it at will. Kyungha's journey into the history of Jeju and the massacres that took place there are paired with her journey through the physical landscape.
As an American reading this in early 2025, it felt poignant and necessary even when it was difficult. The author has no hesitation in telling us exactly how terrible these actions were and the horror of not only the victims but all of the families and witnesses who were left behind to pick up the pieces. This story makes you consider difficult but necessary questions --- are humans really capable of this type of violence? and if so, could it happen again? The answer is yes, and it's part of why I think Han Kang's novels are so important at the present moment.
This story is so eerie. Not scary in a jump-scare sense but even beyond the horrific depictions of violence the method of telling the story also brings chills to my spine. The entire setting is dark and isolated. The snow is basically another character, moving the story along and halting it at will. Kyungha's journey into the history of Jeju and the massacres that took place there are paired with her journey through the physical landscape.
As an American reading this in early 2025, it felt poignant and necessary even when it was difficult. The author has no hesitation in telling us exactly how terrible these actions were and the horror of not only the victims but all of the families and witnesses who were left behind to pick up the pieces. This story makes you consider difficult but necessary questions --- are humans really capable of this type of violence? and if so, could it happen again? The answer is yes, and it's part of why I think Han Kang's novels are so important at the present moment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail